Minister not for turning on Nenagh nursing home decision

Health Minister, Stephen Donnelley, made it clear last week he has no plans to reverse the decision to use the new building intended to become the new St. Conlon's Nursing Home in Nenagh as a step-down facility to alleviate overcrowding in University Hospital Limerick (UHL).

Tipperary TD, Labour's Alan Kelly and Nenagh based independent councillor, Seamie Morris, have pledged to force a reversal of the controversial plans which drew thousands onto the streets of Nenagh in support of protests organised by staff at and families of residents in St. Conlon's Nursing Home.

The issue was raised at the All Party Oireachtas Petition Committee which was attended by Minister Donnelly and Senior HSE Officials last Thursday, as well as Tipperary independent TD, Michael Lowry and Chairman of the committee, Tipperary Sinn Fein TD, Martin Browne.

Deputy Lowry directly asked the Minister if he and his officials had reviewed their decision not to immediately transfer patients from St. Conlon’s to the new Nenagh Community Nursing.

Minister Donnelley said: "This is a decision that’s been made – it’s not up for review. I can tell you categorically that the decision is not going to be overturned. 

"This is a Patient Safety Issue, We have to do the right thing where the safety patient risk is the highest for the people of Tipperary and the people of Nenagh". 

Addressing people who use the emergency unit in UHL, the Minister said he wants to make sure the hospital minimise the number of people on trolleys and reduce the length of time they may be on a trolley. 

"We have to do it to keep people safe, including people from Tipperary, including people from Nenagh should they go into the Emergency Department and have to be admitted to the hospital", Minister Donnelley said.

Deputy Lowry emphasised that there has been a lot of controversy surrounding the decision, which has become very contentious and divisive locally, with patients and staff at St. Conlon’s extremely annoyed, while the public in Nenagh is agitated.

He said that at a recent public meeting his compromise proposal of shared use by St. Conlons and Step Down Beds for UHL was dismissed and people were given the impression that the decision could be "overturned in it’s entirety".

In response, Minister Donnelley said: "The decision was made and I am not going to just pass the book to the HSE. I was consulted on that decision and I am part of making that decision. 

"It was made as we have elderly patients, frail patients and deteriorating patients on trollies in UHL, and whereas in the rest of the country the number of patients on trollies is going down, in UHL it has gone up by 40% this year. 

"It’s a very serious situation and we need to do whatever we can to alleviate the pressure
on those patients and those Healthcare workers. So, as a short-term measure, we’re using two Community Nursing Units. 

"We’re using a 20-bed unit in Clare and a 50-bed unit in St. Conlon’s" the Minister said.

"The local community is aware that there were 23 residents due to move into the new facility. I know they were looking forward to it and I know that this is frustrating for them and their families. I know it is disappointing, but patient risk is the priority", the Minister ended.